Tennessee Attorney General (AG) Jonathan Skrmetti has announced that 55 attorneys general, representing all eligible states and U.S. territories, agreed to sign on to a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. The Sackler family has also informed the attorneys general of its plan to proceed with the settlement, which would resolve litigation against Purdue and the Sacklers for their role in creating and worsening the opioid crisis across the country. Now that the state sign-on period has concluded, local governments across the country will be asked to join the settlement contingent on bankruptcy court proceedings. Tennessee is expected to receive more than $90 million. Read more in a press release from Skrmetti’s office.

Chattanooga lawyer William Robert Heck died May 2 at the age of 81 following an extended illness. Heck earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1968 and enlisted in the Army. He was honorably discharged in 1971, returned to Tennessee, and earned his law degree at the University of Tennessee College of Law (now Winston College of Law). He was admitted to the bar in 1974, establishing himself as a small firm practitioner specializing in criminal defense. For nearly 50 years, he was a stalwart presence in Hamilton County's courtrooms, defending clients across the full spectrum of criminal charges — from misdemeanors to high profile death penalty cases. Visitation will be Friday from noon to 1 p.m. EDT at the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson 37343. A chapel service will follow at 1 p.m. Burial with full military honors will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave., Chattanooga 37406.

KAREN NELSON MOORE, Circuit Judge. Plaintiff Jeff L. Kean was fifty-nine years old and working as a General Manager at one of the most profitable Chili’s restaurants in the Nashville, Tennessee market when he was terminated and replaced by a thirty-three-year-old with no managerial experience. Defendants Brinker International, Inc.,1 Brinker International Payroll Co.,2 and Chili’s, Inc., (together “Brinker”) explain that Kean was terminated for creating a toxic “culture” and not “living the Chili’s way.” According to Brinker, “culture” at Chili’s meant treating employees well, satisfying guests, and turning a good profit—among other intangibles. Despite Brinker’s explanations, by all objective metrics, Kean’s restaurant was one of the top performers in his market. Not only was the restaurant profitable, but also it had operated for years as a training center for other managers, and Kean had consistently positive ratings as a manager from his employees. So why did Brinker fire Kean? The answer is complicated. No one at Brinker can remember why they actually fired Kean, and Brinker destroyed all original documents related to Kean’s employment and the reasons for his termination. Kean tries to fill in the gaps with his own theory. According to Kean, Brinker used “culture” as a catchall term to obfuscate their systematic efforts to remove older employees in favor of younger ones. In his estimation, he was fired because he was the oldest manager in his region and did not fit into Brinker’s business model aimed at attracting millennial guests. Based on this theory, he filed this suit under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”). Ultimately, the district court credited Brinker’s explanation, granted summary judgment in Brinker’s favor, and dismissed the case. For the reasons that follow we VACATE AND REVERSE IN PART and AFFIRM IN PART the district court’s decision, and REMAND for proceedings consistent with this decision.

The Defendant, Bobby V. Summers, appeals the trial court’s summary dismissal of his motion to correct an illegal sentence. The record and the Defendant’s brief have been filed. For the reasons stated below, the Court hereby suspends the requirement of a responsive brief by the State and affirms the trial court’s order pursuant to Court of Criminal Appeals Rule 20.

A Davidson County jury convicted the defendant, Alexander Friedmann, of vandalism of property over $250,000, for which he received a sentence of forty years in confinement at 35%. On appeal, the defendant contends (1) the indictment is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad; (2) the trial court erred in admitting evidence of the costs to rekey the jail and review surveillance footage; (3) the trial court erred in denying a motion to suppress the product of a judicial subpoena; (4) the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support his conviction; (5) the State failed to timely provide evidence to which the defendant was entitled; (6) improper argument by the State affected the verdict; (7) the trial court imposed an excessive sentence; (8) the trial court erred in denying the defendant’s motion for a reduced sentence; and (9) cumulative error deprived the defendant of a fair trial. After reviewing the record and considering the applicable law, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

Joelton lawyer Irving Lee Fentress, age 77, died June 13. Services were held June 17 at the Austin & Bell Funeral Home in Springfield. Burial followed in the Mt. Sharon Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery in Greenbrier. Fentress graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin and the Nashville School of Law. He ran his own CPA firm for over 40 years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Mt. Sharon Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 4634 Mount Sharon Church Rd., Greenbrier, TN 37073 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty has reintroduced a bill that aims to prevent sanctuary cities from receiving federal funding for affordable housing, WZTV reports. The "No Community Development Block Grants for Sanctuary Cities Act" would amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, which authorized federal funding for various local government community development plans, to prohibit funding for Section 8 housing, rental assistance and other living assistance programs. "Cities that encourage illegal immigration shouldn’t be rewarded with federal housing subsidies," Hagerty said about the bill. Read more about the proposal in a press release from Tennessee's junior senator.

After four years sitting empty and unused, Hamilton County's old downtown jail building may be poised for a new life, the Times Free Press reports. County officials and the River City Co. are accepting bids to evaluate potential ways to reuse or redevelop the facility at 601 Walnut St. in Chattanooga. According to the paper, the building presents some potential challenges because of its heavy-duty construction made for security. Its configuration of concrete, iron and steel make it difficult to adapt, according to a River City Co. spokesperson.

The Southern Environmental Law Center has filed a 60-day intent to sue notice on behalf of the national NAACP, claiming xAI has committed violations of the Clean Air Act with its prolonged use of gas turbines at the company's supercomputer facility in Memphis. According to the Commercial Appeal, the lawsuit alleges xAI operated gas turbines without necessary permits, resulting in excessive emissions and lack of pollution control technology, and operated without the best safety protocols or best available control technology. "We cannot afford to normalize this kind of environmental injustice — where billion-dollar companies set up polluting operations in Black neighborhoods without any permits,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson.

The Knoxville Bar Association and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, in partnership with Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET), will hold a Debt Relief Clinic on June 28 to provide pro bono legal services to income-eligible consumer debtors. The clinic will begin at 9 a.m. EDT at the Knox County Public Defender's Community Law Office, 1101 Liberty St., Knoxville 37919. Judge Suzanne Bauknight will present a short overview of the bankruptcy system and then volunteer lawyers will conduct initial meetings with the clients to discuss their situations and options. Those interested in helping should register online. Clients seeking advice should call 865-637-0484.